The authoritarian nature of governance in Uganda will lead us back to war

We the people of Uganda are hereby registering our complaint and protest regarding the authoritarian style of governance with which the 23 year, sitting executive, is running the country with all the semaphores of an impending civil war.

We are vehemently protesting President Yoweri Museveni’s, intent of running the nation of Uganda in an authoritarian manner. He has broken away from all the promises he made to the people of Uganda, by encouraging a Mafioso style of governance of death and intimidation to prevail, buttressed by a muzzled media, while marching with a seemingly compromised and disturbingly coerced corps, which occupies all the other institutions of governance.

The new and old institutions are staffed with the desire to hamper needed checks and balances to the executive. We are immersed in a sea of corruption, extortion and selfishness, without regard or respect for voices of reason or dissent, reminiscent of the past dictatorial regimes, a terrible past from which we broke into civil wars that cost us life, money and precious time, we are heading for disaster.

We the people of Uganda feel besieged and we would like to register our complaint and protest before it is too late to both local and international friends.

Many Ugandans are worried by the bizarre administrative statements of policy that have emanated from the Ugandan state house and institutions of governance as directed by president Museveni.

Before any major shift in policy, the Uganda people are treated first to bizarre and inexplicable scary set of events.

As recently witnessed, before the passing of an unfair agrarian (land) reform bill, 29 young rioters were shot dead in Kampala and the surrounding suburbs in what appears as a staged conflict between two normally friendly allies Kayunga and Mengo. “Shoot to kill” was the order from the president. Many kids were randomly whisked away into Ugandan prisons, where they remain rotting up to today for raising their heads in protest of denying the king of Buganda passage to visit his own county of Kayunga.

Within weeks, the country was yet shocked by the grizzly murder of an internationally wanted key witness of the ICC, General kazini, in a bizarre and unbelievable set of circumstances. While the General was being snuffed, the life of our own vice president’s lawyer son, who had enlisted in the army, was simultaneously robbed away through what appears to be a staged accident.

Prior to that, the president had already threatened parliament, on an issue of procedure, by declaring to them that they could not issue ultimatums to his person, because he was a General.  These events, buttressed by the clamp down on media houses in total disregard of freedom of speech, constitution mandated rights, have ushered in new laws of governance which are meant to polarize an already disarrayed tribal polity.

We are now being subjected to redistricting schemes that serve no clear purpose or direction for improving the condition of the poor masses, except to divide and rule. A land bill just passed gives more rights to squatters than the landlords, while curbing the constitutional powers of rightful owners to claim revenue from oil and mineral resources found, it carries a hefty penalty on the landlords than the tenants if violated. Like the CBS clamp down it is clearly targeting the largest tribes in the nation, to bring them to their knees and take away their last holdings and hope of prosperity.

The besieged parliament is again ready to pass yet another ill conceived bill of a regional tier, despite repeated attempts and pleas by many who warn that it is another structure designed to beef up an already overwhelming ruling NRM party class, which is wrought with corruption and has failed to deliver services to the people effectively in the last 23 years.

The proposed structure is deemed unpopular and unwise by many Ugandans, like all recently passed legislation the majority NRM parliamentarians seem to have no interest in impact to communities or obtaining consensus. They seem to be primarily driven by corruption and greed, passing self serving laws to be only paid off through tokens of appreciation by the president. They fail to realize that they are aiding and abating the sell off of our national treasury.

There is no way of telling whether the other institutions are under siege as well by the way they have all remained unresponsive to many human rights and constitution violations that have occurred in the country.

Every bit of legislation and contract that has come out of government lately raises questions, of spirit and intent of the architects and whether it is authored to serve the interests of the majority of Ugandans.

We were recently shocked, when we learnt that the contracted Heritage oil company, was not only run by under world figures, but was selling its interest in Ugandan oil abroad without going through proper parliamentary procedure for approval. Selling off a chunk of our wealth without ever giving us a chance to buy shares through our own stock exchange!

We are deeply concerned that many transactions and contracts signed on with the international community are not going to be honored in the long run, because they are now being forged by an authoritarian regime, using self serving policies to separate Ugandans for all their wealth.

The largest tribe and their king feel so isolated by the president and many of its critical thinkers see no other way out except to break away and seek new paths to self determination.

Tendo Kaluma

Ugandan in Boston

DEATHS PER WEEK IN ACHOLI IDP CAMPS: 220 OR 1,000 ?

Dear readers,

Some people said that 1,000 people were dying in the IDP camps per day in northern Uganda?  For about 10 years? This works out as 1,000 x 365 x 10 years…..3,650,000 souls!

They sometimes said that 1,000 were dying per week for at least 10 years: 1,000 x 52 x 10 years…..520,000 souls!  And this was for a camp population that at highest was, according to the WFP, 57,000.

Let us now briefly step into the world of reality. I have with me a 2005 letter from the LC3 chairman of Atiak the county in Gulu that had some of the most dangerous IDP camps (…remember Barlonyo?).  In the letter , that chairman, Odong William George reported the deaths in the 14 Atiak IDP camps for the period 1-15 September 2005, i.e., 2 weeks, at 54 persons.  In other words, the weekly mortality rate was 27 persons.

As you may know, Gulu, Kitgum and Pader had 114 IDP camps.  If 27 persons died per week in 14 camps with the most adverse living and physical safety conditions, one can infer that on average about 220 persons died in all the 114 in Acholi region per week.  So, where did these people get their figure of 1,000 per week from (or 1,000 per day)?

The 10 years was the period over which the people of central Northern Uganda saw themselves being confined to IDP camps.  In fact one can even get it from the speech by their wonderful Dr Adam Branch( now a lecturer at  Makerere University) who refers to 1996 as the time when the camp policy was instituted.  Indeed they said that 1,000 people were dying per week, after being prompted to retract an earlier claim that those many people were dying per day.

They said that they prefer Dr Adam Branch’s data to Mr Odong GW’s data…, and who in his wonderful paper refers to the Acholi as “our fellow citizens…”.  Yes. Dr Branch gives the figure of 1,000 and I wonder whether he remembers where he got it from, a source that actually stated that the Acholi region was experiencing a Crude Death Rate (CMR) of 1 person per 1,000 per week, which he and the rest of you then flew off with in the fantasy of 1,000 per week (or per day when our propensity for adding binzali takes the better of us).

One George Okello(UAH forumist working with IMF in London) remarked that “But even if I take your figure of 220 deaths per week in the whole of Acholi, is this not so repugnant to human sensibility?” is quite predictable.  Then why doesn’t he just say that many people have died in Acholi, instead of confidently bandying around 1,000; whose source he did not tell us and over which he vacillate, as per day, and later, per week?

Okello also said , “..playing games with figures…”: who is playing games with figures? ….is he the one who the other day was saying that the for the NRA to be a people’s army, it should have have had 98% Baganda in its Luwero days? What was his response when he was informed that Buganda has only about 54.9% Baganda?

Anyway, I have included here the picture of the wonderful Dr Adam Branch whose hot air of a speech is what they authoritatively refer us to…….

Otto Patrick

President Museveni is blinded by nepotism and religious traditions

Hello Ugandans at heart,

Greetings and thank you for all your messages and interest in the development of Uganda. I completely agree with your views. It is sad
that many Ugandan graduates lack the necessary skills to employ
themselves or form corporation to provide employment for themselves
and their friends.

If you wish to know my ideas on education and development for Uganda, check Google and find my posting on “RURAL EDUCATION FOR AFRICAN
DEVELOPMENT.” It covers social, economic, political and educational
theories and pragmatic policies for education and development. Read it
and then, we can continue the discussion further.

Keep up the good work. Socrates was executed because his was considered too radical in teachings. So we have to learn to communicate to power the new ideas in ways in which they can accept them and implement them. Jim Muhwezi is too corrupt to think about the good of the Nation. President Museveni is blinded by nepotism and religious traditions that hinder his advancement of the non-Bahima and Catholics.

The intellectuals have no power to impose their theories on the Nation. This is why we need to educate the masses and persuade people like Prof. Apolo Nsibambi and Bukenya to see that the welfare of their families is tied together with the fate of the Nation as a whole and persuade them to implement our pragmatic policies and theories of development.

We learned through President Idi Amin’s “reign of terror” that the professions and other intellectuals were powerless to lead the Nation, when their were idiots for leader, whose power of the gun was considered more reliable way to govern the Nation than to follow the intellectual guidance of the professors and theorists.

Plato’s concept of the Philosopher King, in his Republic is a more ideal model for many semi-illiterate African nations. We had hoped the Obote and Museveni would be such leaders. But only Julius Nyerere seemed to have managed to do that for Tanzania.

Corruption is an economic, political, moral and societal cancer that eats up the society and finally destroys it, in the same way cancer kills its victims! President Museveni had a unique opportunity to establish a clean Government, but he appointed his corrupt friends and relatives to head ministries for which they were unqualified! We need a new method of cleansing the Nation of the prevailing culture of nepotism, corruption/theft and violence.

I will be waiting to hear your ideas and methods of liberating Uganda
from these moral, economic, political and societal evils!

Thank you.

Prof. Emmanuel K. Twesigye

UAH forumist

Alleged Marginalisation of the North is a Myth!

Dear fellow northerners,

You mean Northern Uganda was marginalised even when Obote I was in power? Was it more marginialised that any areas of Uganda when Amin – a northerner himself was in power? Was it more marginalised when Obote II was regining? How many northerners were controlling the state apparutus e.g. the Army, Police, Security and Political offices during Obote I &II? What about the brief Tito Okello era – was northern Uganda more marginalised?

Who is marginalising the north?

Why is the so called marginalisation of the north only an issue when northerners are no longer dominant in the state machinery? Why didn’t the northern rulers of Uganda use the power they had to reverse the so called marginalisation????

How much more marginalised is northern Uganda compared to say the east, Karamoja, Busoga and even Buruli in Buganda? etc Isn’t it true that most of Uganda is marginalised by lack of development just like the north? Isn’t true that Kony’s war could probably have deeped the socalled marginalisation of northern Uganda?

Is northern Uganda equal and synonimous with Acholi only? How should the so called northern Uganda marginalistion be addressed? By chasing away investors like Madhavani?

So Joseph Kony was/is a messenger of northern Uganda to end marginalisation? What a messenger!!!!??? Why bemoan the return of peace to northern Uganda? Why deny the fact that Kony has been defeated and will never again fight the “marginalisation” of northern Uganda the way he has been doing? Atleast not from Darfur and CAR!!

My take: the ruse of the so called marginalisation of northern is simply being perpetuated by tribally inclined individuals who are moaning the fact that their own tribe/region has lost the dominant control of the state of Uganda to another tribe/region. It is a cry for power which is too common nowadays!! Every tribe – see Mengo for example – is fighting to dominate Uganda by attempting to go back to the dark past!!! Are Africans atavastic as colonial anthropologists once opined? I think so!!!

To the proponents of the northern marginalisation theory: will the marginsalisation of the norther uganda end when a northerner is securely nestled in State House?????????????????????????!

Peter Okello,

Kampala

Its not fair to say that Kagame is better than Museveni

Dear Ugandans at heart,

Some of you  might be getting it all wrong to say that Kagame is better than Museveni. It is a strategic mistake to conclude that Kagame is better than M7. Of course, we need to remind ourselves that comparing two different people in different places, facing different challenges, too, is a complex issue. In any case, my submission is pegged on the following:

a) My knowledge of the two systems and people i.e. M7’s system in Uganda and M7 as a person – I never had a chance to get close to M7 but I used to work with people who were CLOSE associates of M7, My knowledge of M7 and his system pre-Luweero war. on the other hand, my knowledge of Kagame and his system is actually first hand, by and wide, at least up to well about 5 years ago

b) Ever since I left Kagame Junta, I have been involved in International Politics at a relatively very high level. In particular, my involvement in the our Great Lakes Sub-region ‘regional Politics and Military strategies is, to say the least extensive. My access to major development partners too wouldn’t be under looked, anyway.

 

1. I have similar interests to protect in both countries.But, why do some people wrongly say Kagame is better than M7?

1. Kagame has absolute control over every institution – civil or military – and he has absolute control over everybody. In addition, Rwanda being a small country with almost everybody known to each other, then the absolute control Kagame has has been translated into systematic control of both private and public livelihood of each person. In this situation, certainly, Kagame controls communication and, generally, Kagame determines which information the world should access about Rwanda. The only information he allows the world to access is that which will bring credit to him. Remember also, Rwandans that have completed University education make less that 5% of the population. I was discussing this issue with one President in that region who agreed with me. He said that actually Kagame has become a liability for the region. The donors seem to view him as a model. Little do they know that no country in the region can handle its people in such a humiliating manner like Kagame does to his people. Know country can deny its people of their rights like Kagame  does and it goes unnoticed!!!!

Uganda, which M7 is dealing with is absolutely different. People are educated, people have their own social systems which can even seal off M7’s influence. More people in Uganda have access to economic resources in comparison with Rwanda. Leading Uganda one must be ‘a man’. You are leading equals. Some people do not care what you are!!!Not in Rwanda, anyway!!!! There are more free men in Uganda in comparison to Rwanda. That is why you can hear many cases of corruption being made public. Not in Rwanda!!

In Rwanda, Kagame selects which cases OF CORRUPTION TO TELL TO THE Public. And, he gives an impression that there are no other hidden corruption cases.I will give you a good example of corruption cases in Rwanda that are worse than Uganda’s but they are never mentioned:

# No tender to wire  -electricity wiring – any government building has ever been given to anybody except Mr. Nkusi – a former minister – whose family was the god father of Kagame’s family in Nakivale. It is believed also that some of this money goes into Kagame’s private pocket

# Nobody is allowed to look into ‘military procurement’ process and/or to question anything that the military buys. It is Ndahiro, Kagame’s relative – who works for the Kagames – that is the final man over this.

# No individual member of Parliament is voted in by the people, directly. All people do is to vote the entire list that is presented to them by Kagame. That list comes out around two days before people go to vote. Nobody discusses the names on the list.

# People voted the 2003 Constitution before they even saw the Constitution!!! The document came out just three days before the vote. Even the most educated class in Rwanda did not read the Constitution before voting

# No member of Parliament is allowed to question the Government’ s proposals to borrow money. Rwanda’s external debt has increased by 130%!!!

# Paramilitary training – Mukyakamukyaka, Ingando is compulsory. But all expenditure  are ‘classified’. Not even the Auditor General is allowed to view these.

b) Rwanda’s kings had absolute control over each individual in the Kingdom. All Rwandans had only one King! It is on record that the Rwandan Kings and chiefs were the most brutal against their people in the entire Africa of that time. Read the first Explorers’ records!!! When Rwanda went Republic, the style of administration did not change so much. People remained under extreme fear especially in relation to their ‘leaders’. Actually, Rwanda has had a great experience of State Inspired Terrorism against its people. The climax is, I believe Kagame Junta. Such terror institutionalized, Kagame can do anything at anytime, to anybody, and nobody can say anything to oppose the guy. Those of us who tried it know what it means!!!

Look, I would write volumes over this issue. I just want you not to Compare Kagame with M7. I believe, if it were possible for the two countries to switch Presidents, and Kagame came to Uganda as a President, he would not survive the heat for another day!!!

Andrew Mwenda

Forget the Propaganda by Andrew Mwenda, the Ugandan journalist, for Kagame. This Mwenda is on Kagame’s pay roll to ‘market’ Kagame. I am sure of this. Did u know that for this reason, when Mwenda was in The Monitor, it was compulsory for all Government institutions in Rwanda to buy the monitor everyday? But do u know what happened when he was forced out of the Monitor? There was an official communique prohibiting Government and Private institutions from buying the Monitor in Rwanda!!!!

Period in power

It is true Kagame has been in power for a relatively shorter period in comparision to M7. Kagame started in 1994! Ok, let us give him 1995. Of course, you might say, he was not the President that time!! But, for our information, Bizimungu was ‘a shadow’ President. The real President was Kagame. You might remember that M7 and Nyerere advised Kagame not to take over as President; they wanted a Hutu just to ‘convince’ the World that it was not a Tutsi takeover of power. It was a good strategy though!!!

Finally, it was Kagame who, after looking at the Hutus that were being presented, he insisted that Bizimungu would be a lesser evil. M7 wanted to bring in Majambere while Nyere wanted Gasana. Gasana was already known to Kabira the Father – Kabira the father was being sponsored by Nyerere; he  used to sell the minerals through TZ!!!! So Nyerere wanted Gasana who had actually done a great deal to undermine Habyalimana regime. In effect, that is why Gasana, who was supposed to travel with Habyalimana that fateful day, was held up in Arusha by ‘a meeting with M7’!!!

Of course, Nyerere, M7 and Kagame knew what was going to befall Habyalimana… that aside, we are justified to say Kagame has been in control for over about 16 years now!!!!

Infrastructure

Yes, some people say apparently the roads are so nice, in Rwanda. The health sector is much better, etc. BUT little do you notice that compared to the levels or volumes of aid, grants and loans Rwanda has been getting in return for the ‘guilty conscience’ of Western nations, these few repaired roads and a few Clinics are like a droop of water in the Sea. There are only two new roads Kagame had constructed: Kigali Bugesera and the Branch to Nyanza – from Kigali Butare. These two roads, put together are shorter than Kampala Masaka road!!! Let anybody challenge this!

Where is the rest of the money that is being pumped into RWANDA?

My friends, come to USA, go to Maryland and you will see the palaces owned by our uncorrupt Kagame and his senior officers!!! I passed by New York and I noticed that almost all Kagame’s Generals’ families live in New York!!! Again, challenge me over this!!!At the same time, I want you to remember that most of us went to the 1990 war without even an extral pair of shoes left in our respective homes!!! Most of us were very poor junior officers in NRA!!!

Yes, Kigali is clean! People praise it for that. But did you know that there are roadblocks around Kigali beyond which poor people who do not have “shoes” cannot go? Yes, even as I write now!!! What would be making this city dirty, anyway? Who limits anybody to come to Kampala? Why then shouldnt Kampala be dirty when everybody can come to Kampala?

Schools in Rwanda

Schools!!!!! God, leave alone Green Hills ( For Madam Kagame) and Rivena (Jane’s school, the owner of Jaguar Buses …Jane is also believed to have had intimate relationship with the PC when she was still in RPA!!!) how many new schools do we have in the whole country?  How many pupil study under trees in Rwanda, even as we talk now? Just recently the donors put Pressure on Kagame, they asked him where the money for schools went. Do u know what he has now decided to do? Each civil servant is going to pay 10% of his/her salary ‘for construction of classrooms!!! I have an official e-mail from the corridors of power in Kigali to this effect. On top of that, each civil servant is going to pay 6% of the salary, the whole of next year, for the Presidential elections!!!!! This is imposed on the people. Can M7 do it in Uganda???????

Remember, every civil servant pays what they call ‘umusanzu’ contribution for the Ruling Party. It is deducted under ‘solidality’ – check these people’s pay cheques!!!!

The NSSF saga!!!!!! God, in Rwanda, you contribute to this NSSF every month but you can only access this money after retirement and, even then, you only redeem the figure you have there!!!!No interest. But, go into Kigali, almost all real estate and big buildings belong to NSSF!!! The only signatory to the cheque is Musoni, the minister of Finance. My brother Gaperi, the director, just looks on ‘angazi’!!!! Where do profits for these workers go? In whose names are these buildings??? Check, it is the kagame family!!!!!!

Congo Money

What about the Congo money? Have you ever heard of the Congo desk? It also operates in Dubai!!!That is Kagame’s money!!!!!! Kagame is the second most paid President in the region. He earns about $25,000 amonth on top of all other ‘facilitation’ and security he enjoys as a President!!!! I have documentary evidence to this effect!!!

To cut it short, if we went to balance books, looking at the huge volumes of foreign Aid, Grants AND Loans Rwanda has had, and looking at the entries from Congo business on the one hand, and balance it against what is claimed as achievements by Kagame, then you would see how much Kagame is getting away with!!! He is only benefiting from ‘the genocide’ cover. That is why he have never made any mistake not to mention it in any speech!!!!!!

Remember, over 90% of all the registered business Co. in Rwanda, which are doing business in the country are for Kagame under the name ‘RPF income generating projects”. These ones do not compete for tenders. They only acquire them. When you question such inside dealing, they call u ikipinga!!!That is why some of us are in foreign land after having been refugees in Uganda for so long!!!

Nze ndi musajja wa Kabaka Omunarwanda

LUSOKE WILLIAM

UAH FORUMIST

Envy and Jealousy not New In Uganda

Dear Ugandans at heart,

In the late fifties, Indians were the object and target of envy because of their business economic successes. A boycott was organized by one Kamya (RIP killed by Amin) against Indian businesses in an effort to stifle their success. Kamya called for a boycott–which was wildly sucessful–becaue (1) Africans were not being permitted (by Abazungu) to get loans to run large-scale businesses as the Indians were. Therefore, chances for black people to grow on a national level were miniscule ( with minor exceptions) (2) the Indians treated Africans like dirt, even though they relied on the same Africans for their businesses to survive

The Northerners were envied in the 60’s because of their ascendancy into top echelons of political and military positions in Uganda.

In Buganda during the 60’s, BanaMasaka were envied because of their economic successes as a result of coffee growing. Many used to ride motorcycles nicknamed “Mwaanyi zabaala”. Their financial succesess enabled them to educate their kids who eventually dominated and still dominate the civil service sector.

Troubles in Uganda in the 60s and 70s were centered mostly in Buganda.
This stifled growth in Buganda. Meanwhile, Western Uganda has always been peaceful and such they experienced a surge in agricultural produce. Western Uganda eventually became the major supplier of matooke and other produce. This sustained stability enabled the westerners to educate their children in the same manner as banaMasaka did. As such, their succeeses are becoming the source of jealousy/envy in the same manner as banaMasaka experienced being called mwaanyi zaabala, and now we call westerners ‘Twaarire”.

Sam Musoke

UAH forumist

How Museveni has witch hunted Vincent Nuwagaba

Dear Comrades in the struggle,
I send you sincere greetings. I wish to let you know though that since April 2008, I have undergone untold suffering simply because I have always used my tongue and sometimes my pen to add my voice to the voices of the voiceless.
My trouble began shortly after the TV Program on which I was hosted together with Hon Bakabulindi on 6th April 2008 where I said the government was seated on the time bomb because of graduate unemployment. The government functionaries felt particularly annoyed
with me because I argued strongly that our graduates are less than 0.5% of the population and that jobs are given on patronage to some people who forge transcripts from Nasser road.
Three of my articles were also published in a period of less than three weeks,one on corruption, another on women and another one on NSSF. That was in addition to various radio presentations where I consistently faulted the government. I was later arrested, illegally detained and tortured greatly tortured.

Professor John-Jean Barya of the Faculty of law came for me but surprisingly, his social status notwithstanding, he was blocked from seeing me. At a time when I was preparing to meet my creator after five days in the dungeon, being tortured and without a single meal, my friends Kabaasa Balaba Bruce and Thomas Tayebwa appeared. They were told that I have to be taken to Butabika mental hospital at all costs. The reason was because I had said I have to file a
complaint to the Uganda Human Rights Commission against my tomentors.

I was taken to Butabika on 15 April, sedated and after nine days I tactfully left on 24 April 2008. I began the process of suing the state. On 15 May, I was trailed and arrested at Jinja Road Police Station. Beacause I informed many people, a friend from state house told me he called the Jinja Road Divisional Police Commander (DPC), later the DPC told me, “Nuwagaba, you can go, when we need you we shall call you”. To date, I have never been called for the same case. I was also trailed by a police sergeant known as Kanyarutokye using a
girl I loved so much. I was also dumped twice in CPS and Kira Road Police Station.

On 23 May, I was hosted on a Radio West programme where I decried a dearth of social services to our people. On 28 when I came back to Kampala I had to report at CPS to make a formal complaint and I was dumped in the dungeon. On 29 May the Kampala RDC Alice Muwanguzi found me in the cells and I told him I will not accept being taken for a ride. She told me, ” Nuwagaba, let me go and order for your release”. Around two hours later I was called and dumped in a police patrol vehicle and dumped in Butabika Hospital. I spent there close to a month and once my were tormentors were convinced I had to die, I was discharged. Three days later, I almost died. I stopped on the verge of the cross.

I filed a suit, civil suit NO 92/2009 with the high court but it seems, it has been frustrated. I wrote three times to the president informing him of my ordeal and he allegedly ordered Justus Karuhanga one of his fomer legal aides to carry out investigations. Once they found out that I was neither insane nor a criminal, they lost interest in the case. I wrote to the president again and he sent me an email telling me I have personal vendetta against him. This email can be found on http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/57599. You can also view my reply on
http://allafrica.com/stories/200907100923.html.

I have also been thrown in jail many times on the course of my duty and later released without taking me to court. From May to August alone I don’t know the number of times I have illegally been arrested and tortured. But from 5 August to 7 August I was illegally detained at Jinja Road Police station. Later they pleaded with me to get anybody to stand surety for me so that I am released on police bond. When I reported on the day they had given me I told them  I wanted to be taken to court, the OC CID told me, “Never come back here”. The reason for my detention was because I was following up a case of a one Gaudence Tushabomwe whose money was stolen by a fake NGO called COWE (Concern for Orphans, Women and the Elderly) which she told me was
linked to the first family. I was socked to learn that when she went to CPS to complain about a threat to her life, she was dumped in the cells, detained for many days and then later taken to Bubika. I have written greatly on this
matter.

Now the biggest worry to me is as a result of my illegal arrest, torture and incarceration which started from Makerere University whence I was arrested and then dumped in Wandegeya Police cells for two days. Kale Kayihura himself ordered that I should not be released on police bond despite the fact that many high profile figures in government, academia, the UN experts, human rights groups and the corporate world went to plead for my release.

After two days I was taken to City Hall Court from where I was remanded to Luzira on trumped up charges of assault and threatening violence. The real cause of my ordeal though is as a result of a letter I wrote to the president which was reproduced in the media and can be accessed on
http://www.africanexecutive.com/modules/magazine/articles.php?article=4579.
A related article was published by the Independent News Magazine and
can be accessed on
www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/guest-column?start=5.

I have since 3rd September been reporting to court for hearing of the two counts. What is surprising though is that all the state witnesses have always committing the crime of perjury for surely they just want me convicted even when I am innocent. On 9th November, the trial Magistrate told the state prosecutor that “state, your witness is a dramatist and not a witness”. I know even the blind would see that the prosecution I am undergoing is purely malicious.

Shockingly, on Thursday 19 November I was called by Criminal Investigation Detective from Wandegeya on a mango line of +256712935670. I was told that he has looked into my file and that I have a case to answer. He told me if I don’t see the Magistrate on 27 November I will be convicted and I told him I am ready to appeal to the higher court. He told me even if I am to do that I will still be in jail. I told him I don’t care because Mandela was jailed for 27 years and he came from jail to state house.

I am sure, I may be convicted to frustrate me from pursuing my civil suit against Attorney General and Dr Tom Onen, civil suit number 92/2009. But also I am pushing for the reversal of the new tuition fees structures using all relevant bodies and at the moment there is a petition with the social services committee chaired by Hon Rosemary Seninde. The government which is threatened by the tongue and the pen may choose to send me to Luzira but I would call upon you to follow up my case.

Of all the times they have arrested me, they have stolen my money and property and nothing is done to the culprits. I have reported every thing but nothing is done so I don’t know what to do. On the 17 August, the day I was arrested I was deprived of sh 1.4m part of which I wanted to pay for my tuition soon after picking my admission letter. Now the question I would want to know, does government want me to commit suicide? Does it want me to kill
somebody? What do these people want me to do? Unfortunately for them, I cannot commit suicide neither can I commit murder. I am very hardened. What shocks me is that they are no longer bothered about the name and shame. Now what do we do.

Finally, I feel I am not alright and I would thus need financial aid to undergo a thorough medical check up because the drugs they were using t kill me could have long term drastic implications on my life. Please help me whoever can.
I leave you with the two sayings one from Martin Luther Junior King and another from Pastor Niemoller of Germany. Dr Martin Luther King Jr said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” while Pastor Niemoller said, “At first they came for Jews, I didn’t speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for Communists, I didn’t speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for trade unionists, I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for Catholics, I didn’t speak out
because I was a protestant. Finally when they came for there was nobody left to speak out for me”.

We need to learn from the above. Otherwise, who clearly knows how Generals Mayombo and Kazini died. Who would tell Brian Bukenya would die as a result of neglected roads. Prof Nsibambi said they need expensive, fuel guzzling Four Wheel Drive Land Cruisers because the roads are poor as if to say,those who cannot afford such strong vehicles should be condemned to death. Shockingly, even the strong vehicles in case of potholes, when one swerves from his lane in a bid to avoid head on collision, they swerve off from the road hence killing the occupants. So, next time, Prof Nsibambi’s relative, God forbid could be a victiom of road carnage.
Please come to my rescue.

VINCENT NUWAGABA

UAH FORUMIST

A letter to Kiiza Besigye after the Karamoja tour

I wish to make an appeal to RTD (Col) Dr. Kizza Besigye to stop campaigns for FDC and embark on joint campaigns; agreements; and strategies which will see the Inter Party Cooperation (IPC) in power after the 2011 elections.  We have so many mistakes done and should learn from them.  For instance the Doctor ought to understand that having people who can handle the military in case President Museveni got relieved of the Presidency is the biggest problem which needs right strategies done early.  We have to learn from the likes of Moshi Spirit which were not on firm ground.  The time is now.  Ugandans are aware of the countries which were behind Uganda by Independence, today because of bad leadership we are nearly the leader in whatever is bad that is corruption; name it.

 

Dr. Kizza Sir, can you kindly concentrate on:

1. A strategy not of who becomes Presidential candidate for the IPC, but having the binding document which will seal the deal for the cooperation or coalition whatever it may be called.
2. A strategy on how the constituencies will be shared by the IPC member candidates and ensure understanding on fielding a single IPC candidate in all the constituencies.
3. A strategy to see that the IPC takes all possible LC V Chairmen seats.
4. A strategy to see that all possible LC III Chairpersons are from the IPC.

 

The above when done early enough can ensure Uganda of a change that my be fruitful.  Secondly, it is clear that getting to understanding on many of these is likely not to be that easy as individuals will be interested in contesting for the positions of their interest but in national interest; need to be convinced to help the change to take place.

 

Dr Besigye and other Opposition party leaders ought to realize the problem of the NRM infrastructure and that not a single party can help the country change, we need cooperation and sacrifice to do away with the NRM which is determined to get many of us to stone age times as a few make it.

 

Willy Kituuka

How to alleviate the current censorship state of the media

Fellow Ugandans,
One of our forumists wrote a question a few weeks ago as to what we could do to alleviate the current state of the media in country, and as I pondered about the question, I soon realized that the “Americans first amendment” has withstood many legal challenges since inception.
 I wanted to highlight a relatedness that exist between our “Bill of rights”article 29 of our constitution and the “American Bill of rights” in the hope of encouraging those among us who are lawyers to seek American jurisprudence to amicably resolve our current censorship dilemma, which seems unconstitutional as it was handed down.
 Measure for measure one finds inescapable reality in the duality that exists of both “spirit of intent”, and “worth of word” in print, between America’s “First Amendment” and our own bill of rights in Article 29 of our 2005-constitution both written below.
The two articles that bind us to a common destiny of protecting our freedoms as embodied in the letter of law can be used with the same duality of purpose to bring instructive court precedent to bare and provide relief to many journalist and media outlets that were gagged in the recent clamp down by the government.
 Our courts need to seek out help with existing “First Amendment” jurisprudence from those who have travelled this road for 218 years. To constitutionally restore and boldly make a stand up for our freedoms like no other court has in the history of our nation. We need to defend against attempts to restrain and censor our freedom of speech and press. There is a need to address all the other draconian restraints that were recently imposed upon us by the government of Yoweri Museveni, in clear violation of constitutionally mandated freedoms.
 Those 45 words first coined by James Madison, should be tabled with urgency, for us as during the December 17th 2009, meeting of tribes from the many regions of Uganda,which is slated to take place in Buganda. 
I would urge those who are meeting, to force as outcome ,a universally acceptable “open meeting law” for each tribal state. The open meeting law, if adopted, will foster a more business like culture, an atmosphere of the highest ethical standard even with our cultural institutions. We are saying that every meeting that is deemed to affect the public, should be open to media and communicated to the public, even if it is convened by two as a way of reducing corruption.
 
All Ugandans saw first hand, the importance of having one aspect of a free media as a watchdog over our affairs, when we received first class utube video, news and photos of the murder scene of an important General in the history of our nation, I hope those that are advocating for the throttling of the media have been given enough reason for pause.
 Americans’ first amendment to the U.S. constitution
 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
~The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
 The freedoms that they sought to protect on that day December 15th 1791, fifteen years after the signing of their “declaration of independence”, included freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly and petition;  these are the very freedoms we are trying to protect below in our own constitution article.  These words were embedded in the first ten amendments of the American constitution to make up the “American Bill of rights”.
 Here is our own article in our2005- constitution speaking of the same protection of rights of individuals, our own bill of rights.
 29. Protection of freedom of conscience, expression, movement, religion, assembly and association.
(1) Every person shall have the right to—
(a) Freedom of speech and expression which shall include freedom of
the press and other media;
 (c) Freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organisation in a manner consistent with this Constitution;
(d) Freedom to assemble and to demonstrate together with others peacefully and unarmed and to petition; and
(e) Freedom of association which shall include the freedom to form and join associations or unions, including trade unions and political and other civic organisations.
~Part of Ugandans’ Bill of rights in the 2005 constitution-~
 I find many congruences in wording and meaning in the two articles to allow our constitutional lawyers to proffer similar arguments in our courts and to bring legal challenge to those who are currently violating our constitutionally awarded freedoms.
 
There is no illusion that many press censorship advocates tend to use a broad sweeping brush while trying to punish a few in violations of state laws. The use of “strict scrutiny” standards should not be used by government to make sweeping changes while in pursuit of content-based restrictions.
 The danger arises when one man abuses such freedoms without applying due process as expected of all democratic societies, who practice a strict adherence to the rule of law as stipulated by their constitution.
 
We have to register our protests in the loudest manner possible to hold accountable our lawmakers and the judiciary alike and to show our displeasure with the add hock, intermittent convenient adherence and interpretation of our constitution by President Museveni.
He has used  a very narrow interpretation to clamp down on citizens, a practice that has damaged the credibility of our elected officials. It also directly affects the growth of our politics and culture, taking us back to an era which we all are not too fond of; where such curtailments brought on gross abuses of human rights, unreported and behind closed doors.
I might as well add that those 45 words, embody an eluded civility that we have died for and now trying to grope for, in darkness,  long after our independence. Like ones with impaired growth or gripped with Alzheimer’s, these simple words continue to dodge many emerging market nations, while their captive audiences look on as if those protective words, were inscribed in a magic mirror (“now you see it, now you don’t”), guarded only by a wand of their leaders, who are bent on torturing and abating their hope and optimism.
 
 We must forge a petition of agreement, to break the curse of the magic mirror once and for all a consensus must be reached or a universal agreement, to remove all the barriers that have been prohibiting us from adopting and exercising these very rights, and we can include it in our “tribal engagement rules” charter.
 
For years many Supreme Court judges in America have taken a stub at interpreting it, and the first Amendment has  stood the test of time: Here is but a few excerpts of opinions handed down, from those high profile cases that put the first amendment to the test.
 
“if there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein,” as Justice Robert Jackson wrote in the 1943 case West Virginia v. Barnette.
 Justice William Brennan wrote in New York Times v. Sullivan in 1964, “the First Amendment jurisprudence has long recognized that prior restraints are incompatible with the notion of a free press. That hostility toward gag orders on the press stems from the news media’s critical role in ensuring that the public has sufficient information to monitor its government, as well as the centuries-old commitment to “uninhibited, robust and wide-open “debate”. New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 270 (1964).
On “strict scrutiny”
At footnote 10 of its opinion, the panel recognized that the purpose of applying strict scrutiny to regulations burdening speech is to protect a person’s right to “decide for himself or herself the ideas and beliefs deserving of expression, consideration, and adherence, .. . Government action that stifles speech on account of its message . . contravenes this essential right.” Rangra v. Brown, 566 F.3d 515,520 n.10 (5th
 
I would like to acknowledge the death of an icon,a civil rights activist and journalist Jack Nelson, who died a couple of weeks ago. He was an avid supporter of the free press and he has created many agencies that we can get help from to promote the same levels of protections that our American friends enjoy.Also check out these sites for guidance.
 http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?item=about_firstamd
 http://www.rcfp.org/news/documents/index.php
Tendo Kaluma
Uganda in Boston

Where did the Nubians in Uganda come from?

Dear Ugandans at heart,

Nubians come from Nubia. You remember the ancient kingdom of Nubia, which was originally Christian and later converted to Islam. It covered Upper Sudan and Lower Egypt. The Nubians are now divided between Egyptians in Swan, and the Sudanese, southwards. l have ever visited their ancient city of Meroe. The late Marshal Jaffir El Niemery was a Nubian. They were brought to Uganda by Sir Sameul Baker, Charls Gordon and Emin Pasha, and later Capt. Fredrick Lugard. But in Uganda, we don’t have those original Nubians. Much of what we have is a mixture of West Nilers due to intermarriages. They are also in Kenya. But in West Nile, the North and North East, if one converts to Islam, he is reffered to as a Nubian. It is the same in Nyanza Province in Kenya. In Nairobi, if one converts to Isam, he becomes a Muswahili. In South Western Uganda, if one converts into Islam, he becomes a Muganda. That is real.

I would also like to state that most of the killings in Mbarara in the 1970s were done by Nubians. It was the same in Masaka. Unlike Mbarara which could not differentiate a local Muslim and a Nubian, the Masaka people never avenged on local Muslims. The Nubians had already fled. In 1977, they killed 70 Christians over the death of Haji Kaloddo. But Bannabuddu never killed a single Muslim. They knew local Muslims had nothing to do with the Nubian mercinaries. However killers have not been Nubians only. They even did not kill the way other people killed later. But they killed and some Nubians dont want us to mention it. Let’s be honest even when we are talking about our Muslim friends. They were talking about Shaban Nkutu. Who killed Nkutu? Idi Amin! Wasn’t he his fellow Muslim? Should we keep quiet because Amin was a Muslim. Who killed the late Sheikh Obeid Lutale and detained Sheikh Obed Kamulegeya? Iddil Amin. Should we hide away from it? Nubians have good people and bad people, so are other people and we should talk about them.

Like I stated that “In South Western Uganda, when one converts into islam, he becomes a Muganda” I meant areas such as Ankole and Kigezi sub regions, and to an extent Tooro and Bunyoro in mid western Uganda. Please vist places like Mbarara municipality, Isingiro, Bukanga, Kajara. You will find Baganda immigrants after Chritian victory over Muslims there, with kiganda and kinyankore names. An example is Balinda who was a Deputy Minister in Obote l Government , Sulamain Matojo (a concorcotion of Matovu), Station Manager of Radio West, to mention but a few. Do you know that some of the muslims slaughtered on orders of Edward Rurangaranga and Yowasi makaru, their crime was not being Muslims, but being Baganda, on Ankole soils!

There was love-hate relationship between Baganda Muslims and Nubians when the Britsh were still running the country.Who does not know that most of Ugandan Muslims are Baganda? Is the late Sheikh Saad Ibrahim Luwemba, originally a musoga or a Muganda? The moment we talk about atrocities committed by Nubians, most of which they did in Mbarara, and run away, and Banyankore avenged on their fellow Banyankore/Baganda Muslims, some Nubians today come out in defence of Nubians as if they did not kill people. We know what was done by Faruq Minawa, Ali Toweri, Juma Ali Butabika , Hiseein Malera, to mention but a few. Yet there were very good Nubians like Col. Khamis Safi.

Every region has its own jargons. For example, after the religious wars, Muslims wrere not called human beings or Baganda. They used to say “Nsanze abantu babiri n’omusiraamu.” We had a Munnabwera person in our village of Nnambiriizi, Mawogola, called Biwagalo. He used to say “Kale nga mmwe Abasiraamu, ate nga ffe Abaganda…” But they died away.In Ankole sub region now, , as l stated yesterday, most of the Muslims are Baganda, thus even new converts are labeled Bagsnda. It is no crime. In northern Uganda and Nyanza Province, the Muslim converts are called Nubians. If it is in Central Province or at the Coast, they are called Waswahili. In my cattle corridor home area, most Balokole are called pastoralists, because they were the pioneers in that. Even when l was studying in Ssembabule C/U which used to be called “Kirokole’ we were all called Balokole/ Balaalo, etc…Those things are there. What do you want to hide?

Haji Ntege Lubwama is around and he came back to Uganda recently from exile in UK. Who does not know that Chris Rwakasisi and David Oyite Ojok wanted to finish him off? Even UPC people like Mzee Samwiri Mugwisa, whom l respect very much, can help us on this. Secondly, we should not twist things. We are not saying that all non Muslims hated Muslims or vice versa. Neither are saying that all Catholics hate Protestants vice versa. But we are recalling a historical reality so that we can forge ahead as one country, one people, to borrow from one of our parties.
Otherwise, all religions would have perished if believers in them had participated in the conflicts. The majority did not. They even used to hide one another. But what l have learnt from this debate, is that even intellectuals are narrow as far as our country’s history is concerned. Let’s all sing with
Osagyefo: Forward ever, backward never.

Ahmed Katerega

UAH forumist/ journalist

For more information, visit the following link:

WHO IS A NUBIAN